Mentee College Selection Process

Colleges interested in participating as mentees should provide a written response to all information requested on the application form. The information provided will be used as the basis for mentee college selection and peer matching. Applications received by the deadline for submission will be evaluated for the purpose of selecting twelve mentee colleges.

It is expected that each college applying for this opportunity will be interested in developing or enhancing a specific initiative or program through their participation in a mentoring relationship. This initiative will be the primary focus of the mentoring and peer learning process. The initiative may be in the process of design, development, or implementation. Please note that the mentoring relationship should be understood as a mechanism for moving forward a specific initiative in its development and for accomplishing clear learning outcomes. Colleges must be committed to actively working within a peer mentoring relationship and to developing a specific initiative aimed at improving student success.

Selection Criteria: Selection of the mentee colleges will be based on an assessment of their initiative’s overall suitability as the focus of a mentoring relationship, its match to one of the mentor college’s initiatives, and the initiative’s readiness for participation. Initiatives also will be considered with regard to institutional characteristics to ensure diverse representation among the mentee colleges. Applications will be evaluated based principally on the following criteria:

• Mentee Initiative (25 points): clear and developed purpose; stated objectives; in the process of development; identifiable core activities; evident target population; size of student population served by initiative; clear staff and faculty involvement.
• Compatibility with a Mentor Initiative (20 points): similarity between mentee initiative and mentor initiative or program; ability of mentor to support needs of mentee.
• Rationale for Participation (25 points): clear statement of need; well-conceived reasoning for value of mentoring relationship to initiative development; identification of learning outcomes.
• Activities (10 points): specific areas or activities that would be the focus of the mentoring relationship; ability to be supported by mentor college and facilitator.
• Institutional Commitment and Sustainability (20 points): clear institutional support and commitment; resources for sustaining initiative and its development.

Selection Notification: Colleges will be informed by email of their acceptance and, at that time, will receive an invitation and subcontract to participate in the project. Applicants not selected will be informed of the decision and provided more information about opportunities to participate as unfunded colleges in the Community Colleges Can! project.